


stranded together

by ackermanx



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Multi, Other Characters Are Mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 14:12:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13765842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ackermanx/pseuds/ackermanx
Summary: lon'qu was not here to /make friends/.that was something that other people did in peacetime. other people, who could express their feelings freely, who weren't haunted by the past like lon'qu was.lon'qu wasn't here to make friends, but he supposed that being acquainted with the commander of his new army wouldn't hurt.





	stranded together

**Author's Note:**

> i know there's a million inconsistencies but i pulled this out of my ass in like two hours so

Lon'qu was not here to _make friends_.

That was something that other people did in peacetime. Other people, who could express their feelings freely, who weren't haunted by the past like Lon'qu was.

Lon'qu wasn't here to make friends, but he supposed that being acquainted with the commander of his new army wouldn't hurt.

Chrom was the name that was thrust upon him, along with a gloved hand and a far-too-big smile. Oh, they didn't have to become friends, Chrom reassured Lon'qu, but at the very least he did want to get a feeling for the people in the Shepherds, so that he could be a better ruler in the future.

"You're not my ruler," Lon'qu points out. "I owe no more allegiance to Ylisse than that of a soldier. Would you not have better luck becoming acquainted with the priest?"

"Right - I forgot you're Basilio's right hand man. Sorry about that! See, this is exactly what I mean when I say that theres much I need to learn..."

Chrom continues talking and his demeanor doesn't change a bit, but Lon'qu, minor nonbeliever that he is, would swear to Naga that a flicker of hurt crosses Chrom's face.

 

* * *

 

 

Lon'qu wars with his consciousness for several days, but eventually comes to the conclusion that an apology would be much appreciated.

He knows where Chrom's tent is - the entire camp knows, due to unfortunate circumstances involving Frederick and a few reams of paper - so he decides to pay an impromptu visit in the morning, hours before the Shepherds have to march, when no one else will be awake.

In hindsight, he really should have realized that all of their battle tactics weren't going to get done by themselves.

Lon'qu walks into the tent without preamble, opening his mouth to speak as soon as he gets the heavy fabric out of his face.

"I doubt that you have put our last interaction out of your mind, so if you haven't yet, I would I like to apologise for - "

He freezes in place when his brain catches up to his mouth and he realizes, _very_  belatedly, that there was another figure in the room. A familiar, white-haired, slack-jawed figure.

"Chrom," she begins in a dangerous tone of voice, and Lon'qu thinks he approves of her already. "What did you do?"

"Wh - hey! Why do you always assume that  _I_  did something wrong?"

"Because you are the most oblivious ruler that I have ever had the fortune to meet," Robin continues in a perfectly flat voice, but a corner of her mouth curls up and - actually, Lon'qu feels like he's intruding on something private now, so he might as well retreat while his pride is still intact -

"Wait!"

Robin calls out before Lon'qu can make a full exit, so he has no choice but to stand where he is, half-in and half-out of the tent. She sees this, of course - raises an eyebrow at his literalness, and flaps one hand in his direction to say _don't just stand there letting in the cold, come in, you idiot_.

"So whatever Chrom did, I'm sure he regrets it - " she slings one arm over Chrom's shoulders, holding him just a little too tight to be comfortable - "and I just want to say that, in all of our terrible ways of showing affection, everyone in the Shepherds really does appreciate you being here, and not just because of your muscles. Yeah?"

Lon'qu nods. Robin is certainly...direct with her words, a trait of the Feroxi he had missed after being amongst so many fast-talking Ylisseans. He thinks she's earned his respect in at least five different ways in the past few minutes, and - if only because of that - even if he could not grow to love his new comrades, he would certainly put up with them to please her. "Good! And now that that's out of the way, I need you to do me a favor. For the next battle, could you protect me?"

"Don't I do a good enough job of that?" Chrom mumbles, mock hurt spread across his features. Lon'qu doesn't know how to reply, so he blinks owlishly at Chrom and murmurs something akin to agreement.

Now outright laughing, Robin gives Chrom one last (gentle) squeeze before letting go and reclining in her chair. "I'm going to pair you with _Virion_  if you keep talking. Now, I've heard that those Plegians have terribly untalented swordsmen and fighters compared to their mages, so Lon'qu, if you and me could take them out while I send what cavalry we have ahead, this should work out alright. Does that sound alright?"

"I...suppose so, yes," Lon'qu manages to get out, because as much as he _does_  still hate the idea of working with a woman, tactics are not a thing to be messed with. "It will be an honor to watch your back on the battlefield."

"No, no, none of that, please." Robin instinctively stretches out a hand to pat one of Lon'qu's arms - remembers herself at the last moment, and turns the motion into an awkward hand wave. "If anything, it'll be the other way around."

(It was, in fact, quite the opposite - it was Robin charging ahead almost recklessly, dead set on taking down the enemy forces before they could do the same to her friends, and Lon'qu following close behind, cutting down any stragglers and intervening whenever Robin seemed to be in mortal peril.

"Sorry about that - but thanks for the backup." Robin grins at him when the battle is over and everyone is trying to catch their breath and -

Lon'qu must stop hanging around Chrom and Robin, they must be making him weak-willed, because when Robin leans in quickly to peck him on the cheek, he finds that...it's not a terrible sensation.

_What is going on?_

 

* * *

 

 

Tharja is the last one to be added on to their little group, and the hardest one for Lon'qu to figure out.

Robin invites her to eat with them, after days of seeing her skulking in a corner alone while glaring half-heartedly at Henry. Chrom protests weakly, and Lon'qu supposes he can understand - it wasn't exactly a secret that the dark mage was fascinated by Robin, perhaps unhealthily so. But Robin elbows Chrom, says something about not needing to be _t_ _oo_  protective of her, and continues waving the other woman over cheerfully.

(It's times like this that Lon'qu thinks that maybe Frederick was wrong - Chrom was careless, but he still had a title on his shoulders and shoes to fill. Robin might as well be living for the first time, given that she had nothing at all, and maybe that made her more dangerous.)

He finally snaps out of it when Tharja takes a seat (right next to him, to his dismay) and mumbles something that sounds like "thanks."

"How are you?" Robin manages to get out around a mouthful of potatoes. "Sorry if this is so sudden, but...I'd feel bad if you were lonely all the time. We've still got to fight this war together, y'know?"

Tharja simply shrugs, but there's a glimmer of wonder in her eyes. For a moment, everyone at the table feels connected - for they've all felt the same thing, they've all been drawn in by Robin and her charm that just makes a person want to lower their guard - but then Tharja abruptly stands up and pushes her food tray back.

"I'm...aware of that fact. Thank you for your kindness, but I have things to do."

She walks off, cape swaying with every step that she takes.

Robin slumps over her plate, defeated.

"Some people," Lon'qu says quietly, because he can't stand seeing her this way for any reason at all, "take longer to get to. You did fine."

"What, do you mean people like yourself?" Robin shoots back, but now there's a subtle curve to her lips and Lon'qu can't help but feel a bit of relief. "...Thanks, though, I - oooh, that reminds me, I still haven't finished taking stock of all our weapons! I'll be right back, promise."

Chrom simply lifts an eyebrow, still staring into the distance. "You're very direct, aren't you? Makes me think you're a bit better at handling these sorts of situations than other men."

"I've been told it's a part of my charm," Lon'qu replies dryly, remembering the time Lissa had complained about him being "not sensitive enough."

"That it does, good friend, that it does." Chrom laughs, smacking Lon'qu on the back and returning his attention to his food.

(But his hand lingers a little longer than it normally would, and now Lon'qu is starting to question whether he and Robin see him as a friend, or perhaps as something more.)

 

* * *

 

 

Lon'qu wasn't here to make friends, so in hindsight, it's strange that he now has three of them.

Chrom, after many sparring sessions ending in teaching each other their techniques. Robin, after quenching her insatiable thirst for knowledge and detailing how Regna Ferox worked from the inside. Tharja, after she had unceremoniously marched up to him one day and offered a way to rid him or any unpleasant memories.

(Which he had nearly stabbed her in the gut for, but he thinks she's forgiven him. And maybe she's learned to not sneak up on people, as well.)

They're comfortable, now, and although the rest of the Shepherds may express their mild surprise at the group during idle chatter, they know not to openly threaten any of the four unless they want any of the other three on their case.(Not that any of them would - Lon'qu doesn't sense any menace in any of the Shepherds - but he supposed that a little fear wouldn't hurt.

Robin doesn't disagree with him.)

"Good night," Chrom yawns from somewhere in their shared tent. Robin grunts sleepily in response. Tharja pokes her head back in from outside the tent, the moonlight illuminating the small smile on her face.

"Good night," Lon'qu replies, sleep making his voice rough, and drifts off to sleep feeling safer than he has in years.

**Author's Note:**

> come yell at me on twitter @axlotlols


End file.
